Mail-bag holder and deliverer.



N0. `686,474. A Patnted Nov. I2, 190|.

A. J. PENNINGTUN.

MAIL BAG HOLDER AND DELIVERER.

(Application led Jan. 18, 1901.)

(No Model.)

'm' Nonms Perses co. Puomumo., wAsHmarop, u. c3

UNITED@ STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ANDREW J. PENNINGTON, OF MERIDIAN, MISSISSIPPI.

MAIL-BAG HOLDER AND DELIVERER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 686,474, dated November 12, 1901.

Application filed January 18, 1901. Serial No. 43,769. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ANDREW J. PENNING TON, a citizen of the United States, residing at Meridian, in the county of Lauderdale and State of Mississippi, have invented a new and useful Mail-Bag Holder and Deliverer, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to means for delivering mail-bags to a passing train, and has for its vobject to provide an improved crane or holder for supporting a bag in position to be caught by the apparatus on the train. It is furthermore designed to insure the quick release ofthe bag without the possibility of the latter becoming caught in any portion of the holder and to perlnit of the bag being properly removed by a train approaching in either direction. Moreover, a further object is to throw ,the bag-supporting arms. away from the moving train and to maintain the same in their inoperative positions during the passing of the train, so that the holder may not present any dangerous obstructions or projections in close proximity to the train after the bag has been removed.

With these and other objects in View the present invention consist-s in the combination and arrangement of parts as will be hereinafter more fully described, shown in the accompanying drawings,and particularly pointed out in the appended claims, it being understood that changes in the form, proportion, size, and minor details may be made within the scope of the claims Without departing from the spirit or sacrificing any of the advantages of the invention.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective View of a inail-bag crane or holder embodyingthe present invention. Fig. 2 is a top plan View of the head of the supportingstandard. Fig. 3 is a vertical transverse sectional view thereof. Fig. 4 is a detail side elevation showing the upper bag-supporting arm swung around to its reverse limitwhen not in use to support a bag.

Like characters of reference designate corresponding parts in-all of the figures of the drawings.

Referring to the drawings, 1 Vdesignates a postor standard which is erected at a suitable distance to one side of a railroad-track and is designed for the support of the bagholding arms and cooperating parts of the device. At a suitable distance from the ground there is provided a fixed bracket 2, projecting toward the railway-track and preferably formed from a single strap of metal bent intermediate of its ends, so as to snugly embrace the post or standard, to which it is secured by suitable fastenings 3. The opposite end portions of the strap are projected substantially parallel toward the track, so as to form the opposite arms 4, and thereby provide a bifurcated bracket. Suitable inclined braces 5 extendfrom each arm. to the post. The lower bag-supporting arm 6 has its inner end received within the bifurcated portion of the bracket, to which it is pivotallyconnected bymeans of a transverse pivot-bolt 7. At the outer free end of the bag-supporting arm there is provided a longitudinallyprojected pin or stem 8, and beneath the latter is a spring-finger 9, that has its inner end secured to the under side of the arm and its intermediate portion bowed downwardly, so that its free end may lie in frictional engagement with the under side of the outeri eX- tremity of the pin. When the device is not in use, the lower arm 6 hangs downwardly from its pivotal connection with the post, as indicated in dotted lines in Fig.` 1.

l Upon the top of the post or standard there is provided a circular metallic head 10, having a central pendent angle-bracket 1l to ernbrace a pair of adjacent sides of the standard, there being fastening-bolts 12 passed transversely through each side of the bracket andl the standard. This head is provided with a comparatively wide upstanding outer marginal flange 13 and acentral upstan'ding boss Vor shoulder 14, which is provided with a central vertical perforation extending through the head and also having its upper end Iiush With the upper face of the marginal flange.

A flat circular plate 15 is rotatably supported upon the ange 13 and has a pendent marginal iiange 16 to t against the inner side of the iange on the head, and thereby prevent lateral displacement of the plate. For the pivotal connection of the plate and the head there is provided a pivot-bolt 17, which extends through the perforation in-the head and also centrally through the plate and is located midway between apair of par- IOO allel upstanding flanges or ribs 18, extending entirely across the central portion of the top of the plate.

The upper bag-supporting arm 19 has its rear end portion snugly received between the ribs on the top of the rotatable plate, to which it is xedly connected by means of suitable fastenings 2O and also by means of the pivotbolt 14, which also passes through the arm. This arm is provided at its outer free end with a pin or stem 21, and a bowed springinger 22 is secured to the top of the arm and bears against the outer extremity of the pin or stem.

In applying an ordinary mail-bag 23 to the device the usual upper terminal ring 24 is slipped upon the stem or pin of the'upper arm and beneath the spring finger, after which the lower arm is swung upwardly and the lower ring 25 is applied to the pin of the lower arm, thereby supporting the bag in a vertical position adjacent to the railwaytrack, as indicated in Fig. l of the drawings. It will now be apparent that atrain approaching in either direction may snatch the bag from the supporting-arms, the lower of which drops downwardly out of the way as soon as the bag is removed, While the upper arm is swung around upon its pivotal supportin the direction of the passing train, whereby both arms are thrown away from the track, and

therefore do not present dangerous projets-- tions.

In order that the swing of the upper arm may be limited, there is provided an edge projection or shoulder 2G upon the back portion of the xed head and having a Vertical perforation for the reception of a bolt 27, the upper end of which projects above the head and intothe horizontal plane of the rotatable plate, and the arm is bent or oset downwardly at the marginal edge of the plate, as indicated at 28, so that said offset portion may swing into contact with the bolt or stopshoulder, and thereby prevent the arm from being swung entirely around.

At substantially diametrically opposite points and alined transversely of the arm in its normal position are the vertical gravitydogs 29, which are pivoted to suitable lateral projections 30, carried by the head, and have their upper ends projected slightly above the head and into the path of the arm, which can swing freely rearwardly over either dog, but is interlocked therewith against a returnswing, so as to prevent the arm from being accidentally thrown back into its operative position by its impact with the stop-shoulder.

An important feature of the present invention resides in the fact that the lower bagsupporting arm has no lateral swinging motion, as such a motion would be dangerous to persons accidentally standing in the path thereof. The advantages of a swinging arm are retained by pivotally mounting Vthe upper arm, which is at such a height to be above persons standing upon the ground.

1. In a mail-bag holder and deliverer, the combination with a xed standard, of a fixed head supported upon the top of the standard, and having an upstanding outer circular marginal iiange, and a central upstanding perforate boss or shoulder, a plate rotatably supported upon the tops of the ange and the boss, and having a pendent marginal flange to fit the inner side of the flange of the head, a pivot-fastening passing through the perforate boss and the plate, and a bag-supporting arm ixedly secured to the rotatable plate.

2. In a mail-bag holder and deliverer, the combination with a fixed standard, of a circular head fixed to the upper end thereof, and provided with a stop-shoulder projected from the marginal edge thereof and located at the back of the standard, a gravity-dog pivoted upon the marginal edge of the head and in advance of the stop-shoulder, and a radial bag-supporting arm pivoted to the center of the top of the head and constructed to swing in ahorizontal plane, across the head, there being an intermediate downwardly-off set portion formed in the arm adjacent to and overlapping the outer marginal edge of the circular head, the dog and the stop being located in the path of the shoulder formed by the oset portion of the arm.

3. In a mail-bag holder and deliverer, the combination with a standard, of a circular head fixed to the top of the standard, and provided with a central perforate upstanding boss or shoulder, an outer upstanding marginal flange, a rear peripheral stop-shoulder, opposite gravity-dogs mounted upon the peripheral edge of the head, a circular rotatable plate supported upon the boss and the flange, and having a pendent marginal flange fitting the inner side ot' the flange of the head, and also provided with a pair of parallel transverse ribs upon the top of the plate, a pivot-fastening passing through the perforate boss and the plate and located between the ribs thereof, and a bag-supporting arm having its rear end portion snugly received between the ribs and fastened to the plate, the pivot-fastening also passing through the arm, and the latter having a downwardly-offset portion forming a lateral shoulder at the marginal edge of the head and arranged to travel over the dogs and contact with the stopshoulder.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ANDREW J. PENNINGTON.

Witnesses:

J. J. BLANKS, W. R. PISTALE.

IOO

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